Rail reliability - Same ‘ould’ problem

Percy French immortalised the unreliability of the West Clare Railway with his song, Are You Right There Michael? The railway company has long since gone, but the rail line and the unreliability remain.

In olden times there was a variety of reasons for delays, including the quality of the fuel, but ultimately, in the words of the song, “tis all dependin’ whether the ould engine howlds together”. In the age of modern technology, however, it is no longer dependent on an old engine, but on the weather.

The original Michael in the song is believed to have been Michael Talty, who died, aged 99, in 1957. More than half a century later it seems that little else has changed. The line had to close recently because of flooding as it did in 1864 due to similar flooding. A drainage scheme was mapped out then, and public-private funding arranged, but the plans collapsed.

The century ended without any progress, and another century has passed, and the engineers of today are talking about tackling the same “ould” problem.

Percy French is reputed to have written the song in 1902 after he had to cancel a function due to a train delay. Maybe the 600 daily passengers from Ennis to Limerick could highlight their current plight by getting Ireland’s forthcoming representative at Eurovision Song Contest — Dustin, the turkey — to bring out a new rendition of Are You Right There Michael?